The Open Box
by kitten4979
Summary: The missing scene from 05x09. A fluffy D/L oneshot.


**A/N** – I've hit some brick walls on the three other epic stories I'm writing, so I thought maybe trying a quickie one-shot might rouse my muses again. This is my first attempt at CSI: NY, hopefully this doesn't massacre the show too badly! Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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The young crime scene investigators silently stood side by side as they watched the Harrises meet their grandson for the first time. Lindsay gazed at Danny briefly before turning her attention back to the newly minted grandparents. Her heart swelled at the open display of adoration the couple had for the tiny baby. As she watched them, for the first time in a long time, she felt hope. Hope that it wasn't all just a mistake to him. Hope that things were going to work out.

She knew things had not been the same between them since Ruben Sandoval's accidental death. She had felt him pull away from her. Further and further away until her confession. Then he reached for her. And she came. And now here they were. Though she said told him that she wasn't expecting anything from him, she knew that she needed him. Relationships were about give and take. Now it was her turn to reach out for him. She lightly caressed the back of his hand with hers, hoping and waiting. Lindsay closed her eyes, willing Danny to reach out and take her hand into his own. She gingerly pulled her hand back when he did not respond.

"I have to go back to work," she mumbled, desperate to conceal her disappointment.

As she started to walk away, Danny suddenly grabbed her wrist. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he knew that he had to say it to her – now – before the moment passed them by forever and they regretted it.

"Whoa, Lindsay," he said, gently pulling her back towards him. "We gotta talk."

"Danny, I think we're done talking," Lindsay whispered, not allowing herself to look at him, afraid of the emotional floodgate threatening to unleash itself.

"What? You're joking, right?"

Lindsay bit her lip as she blinked back tears. How many tears had she shed over Danny Messer? She knew that it was more than she'd like to admit. Like Danny, she understood a lot of things now. She knew that she should not have gotten involved with the cocky Brooklyn boy. She knew that they were absolute opposites. She knew that he was going to break her heart. But she didn't care. Not then.

"Danny," she sighed. "I can't do this now. Not here."

"Fine," Danny said stubbornly. "Then name a time and place and I'll be there. Do you want to talk at your place or mine? Or would you prefer neutral territory? What about Sullivan's?" Lindsay said nothing as she stood stone still. "Lindsay," he pled. "Talk to me. Please, Monroe."

Lindsay grimaced. Monroe. When did he start calling her by her last name? What happened to the days of 'Montana' and 'Cowboy'? When did they grow so far apart? When did they lose their special connection? Oh right. Now she remembered…

"Danny, I can't do this anymore," she said tiredly as she tugged her arm from his grip. "I have to go. I have work to do."

"Lindsay, why do you keep running away from me?" Danny asked quietly.

She slowly turned and looked at him. The pained expression on his face and sadness in his brown eyes made Lindsay's heart clench as her body ached to comfort him. But she was too tired. Tired of feeling alone. Tired of crying. Tired of hurting.

"You're going to have to talk to me eventually, you know. I know where you live. I know where you work. We share an office. You can't avoid me forever."

Lindsay swallowed, "Danny… It's like I said earlier. I know you. And I'm not--"

Danny's jaw tightened as he released her wrist and crossed his arms defensively. "Yea… About that, Lindsay. What's that supposed to mean?"

Lindsay took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I mean I know you, Danny. I know that you love your freedom. I know that you don't want to be tied down. I know that… That… Do we really have to do this now?"

Danny shifted his weight. "Well, seeing that you're not answering my calls and otherwise avoiding or ignoring me..."

"Yea, how does that feel?" she muttered under her breath.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing," Lindsay shook her head.

"No. You said 'how does that feel?'"

Lindsay was silent as she looked away from him. Danny cupped her face in his hands and forced her to look at him again. He laid his forehead on the top of her head.

"Look, Lindsay, I told you I'm sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am that I pushed you away. You just wanted to be there for me and I… I freaked acted like a jerk. I had pursued you for so long... Then I have you and I make a total mess of things. I never meant to make you feel like you were just a fling. I'm a fool. I'm an ass. I'm every vile name there is in the book. And I don't know how or if I can ever make up for the hurt that I caused you, but I'm going to try. I'm going to make it up to you somehow."

"Danny," she said feebly as she felt tears prick her eyes again.

"Shh… Just listen to me. Please?" he begged her. "I told you that I understand a lot of things now that night you came over. Believe me when I say that I know that I don't deserve you. I know this. I truly do. And I've always known this. But for some reason, you picked me. You chose to be with me. Still be with me. And now we're going to have a baby. Together. You and me. I'm yours, Montana," Danny hugged her tightly as she dissolved into tears once again. "And you should expect everything from me. If you want the moon and stars, I'll go into space and get them for you. I will do anything you ask me to do. But I'm not going away. Not now. Not ever." He lifted her chin and placed a kiss on her lips. "Because I've fallen in love with you too and I'm not going to figure out how to let that go."


End file.
